Improvement in seeding-machines



JONES & TYLER. Grain-Drill. NQ 3 ,159 I Rammed Au 12, 1862 N- PETERS.PNOIQLWHOBRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES w. M. JONES AND s. TYLER, on HORICON, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36.159, dated August12, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, W. M. JONES and S. E. TYLER, both of Horieon, inthe county of Dodge and State of Wisconsin,-have invented a new andImproved Seeding-Machine; and we do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side sectional view of our invention, taken in theline a; m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same; Fig. 3,detached views of the seed-distributing device; Fig. 4, a detached viewof the scattering-boards;

Fig. 5, a detached view of the driving mechanism which operates theseed-distributing device.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention relates to a new and improved seeding-machine for sowingseed broadcast; and it consists in a novel and improved means fordischarging the seed from the seedhox or hopper, as hereinafter fullyshown and described, whereby the discharge of the seed may he graduated,as desired, so as to sow a greater or less quantity on a given area, andthe seed distributing apparatus prevented from becoming chocked orclogged, and the seed also prevented from being broken or bruised inbeing discharged, and at the same time scattered or sown in a perfectbroadcast manner. I

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct ourinvention, we will proceed to describe it.

A represents a rectangular frame, which is mounted on two wheels, B B,placed loosely on arms or axles a a; and O is a seed-box or hopper,which extends the whole width of the frame A, and is connected at itsback part by hinges b to a box, D, which is secured permanently to theframe A, and also extends its whole width, so that the seed-box 0, whenclosed down upon it, will register therewith, the two forming one box,in which the seeddistributing mechanism is placed.

E is a shaft, which runs longitudinally through the box D, and isallowed to slide longitudinally in its bearings. This shaft,

near one end, has a square, 0, formed on it, on which a clutch, F, isfitted, provided at one side with ratchet-teeth. This clutch has alever, G, connected with it, against which a spring, d, bears, thespring havinga tendency to keep the clutch engaged with ratchet-teeth ona collar, 6, which is placed loosely on the shaft E, and has a pinion,f,attached to it. which gears into teeth g on the hub of wheel B. When theclutch F is engaged with the collar 6 the shaft E will be rotated fromthe wheel B as the machine is drawn along, and said shaft may berendered inoperative at any time or prevented from rotating by throwingthe clutch F out of gear with the collar 6, as will be fully understoodby referring to Fig. 5. H is a lever, which is connected to the shaft Efor the purpose of movingitlongitudinally. The outer part of this leverprojects over the front partof the frame A, and may be secured at anydesired point by a pin, It, which passes through it and into any one ofa series of holes, t', made in the front cross-bar,j, of frame A. Theobject of thus adjusting or moving the shaft E will be presentlyexplained.

0n the shaft E there is placed and permanently attached a cylinder, I,which has a series of curved buckets, k, attached to it, the form ofwhich is clearly shown in Fig. 1. These buckets extend outward to the'periphcry of the cylinder I, and on the buckets there is fitted a head,J, which is formed of a circular plate having curved slots madein itcorre sponding to the curvature of the buckets and a central hole toallow the buckets and shaft to pass through it, the head fitting snuglyto the buckets and shaft, butthelatter at the same time bcin g allowedto slide freely through it.

K represents a curved plate, of semi-cylim drical form, which covers theupper part of the cylinder I and buckets K. This semi-cylinder K issecured to the upper part of the box D, and it has a square opening, I,made-in it, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The inner surface of thesemi-cylinder K has not a uniform surface, a longitudinal groove orrecess, in, being'made in it to receive a curved plate, L, which may betermed a Fgate, and which is allowed to slide laterally in thesemi-cylinder. This gate L is provided with a ledge, n, at its innerside, which fits in a groove, oymade circumferentially in the cylinder1, and thereby causes the gate to be connected to said cylinder so as tomove with it. v

The head J is not allowed to slide or move 1n the bottom of the seedbox0 there are placed double inclined planes q g, which form a bottom forthe same and cause the seed to be presented or conducted to the opening1 in the semi-cylinder K, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 2, aspace being allowed between the ends of the inclined planes.

To the frame A there are attached a series of bars, '1, provided withnarrow teeth 8, for covering the seed. Any proper seed-covering devicemay be employed, and it will be understood that, although only oneseed-distributing device is described, a series of them are used, placedside by side.

The lower part of the box D is inclined, as shown at t-in Fig. l, andimmediately below 12 there is placed another inclined board, a, thelatter beinginclined in a reverse position to the former, and so placedin relation to it that it'will receive the seed therefrom. The inclinedboard it has its upper surface or face side provided with a series ofgrooves, 21, which radiate from centers w at its upper edge, and whichare at points in line with the buckets 7c.

The operation is as'follows: As the machine is drawn along the shaft Eis rotated from the wheel Bthatis, ifthc clutch F is in gear with thecollareof pinionf--and the seed in the seedbox 0 passes through theopening lin the semicylinder K, and the buckets k, which rotate withshaft E, catch the seed and carry the same upward within thesemi-cylinder K and discharge the same as they pass over behind theshaft, the seed. being discharged on the inclined bottom t, and thence011 the inclined board u, from which it falls upon the ground in ascattered or broadcast state.

The head J, it will be seen, serves as a partition at one end of thebuckets, while the cylinder I serves as a partition at the opposite end,and the quantity of seed discharged may be regulated as desired byshifting or moving the shaft E laterally, so that the gate L, whichmoves with the cylinder I, may cover more or less of the opening l ofthe semi-cylinder K.

This gate L also performs another important function-to wit, it admitsof a space between the edges of the buckets 70 and the inner surface ofthe semicylinder above the opening I, so that the grain will not wedgebetween the buckets and the semi-cylinder, and the seed-distributin gdevice therefore cannot become choked or clogged, nor the seed bruisednor broken.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The cylinder I, with the curved buckets 70 attached, secured to arotating and sliding or longitudinally-adjustable shaft, E, inconnection with the stationary head J and semi- .eylinder K, providedwith an opening, I, all

being arranged within a suitable box, I), and in such relation with aseed-box, O, as to operate in the manner and for the purpose herein setforth.

2. The curved plate or gate L, placed or fitted within the semi-cylinderK, connected to the cylinder 1, and arranged in relation with theopening 1 of the semi-cylinder K and the buckets k, to operate as andfor the purpose specified.

3. The arrangement of the clutch F, collar

